The Ages and Between
by Kuronohime
Summary: Kagome goes through the well to find herself in the past. Way in the past. Only to meet the man who would once become the great leader of the dog demon clan.
1. Chapter 1

**The ****Ages and Between**  
>by Kuronohime<p>

Disclaimer: Done for purely non monetary pleasure. I do not own Inuyasha or the franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**All characters © Rumiko Takahashi**

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><p>Inuyasha unceremoniously wiped away a trace of grease from his chin before continuing to devour a bowl of pork teriyaki. Kagome watched the unappetizing display before her and reached for a napkin from the pocket of her school uniform.<p>

"Here, use this, you slob."

The hanyoo disregarded the offered item with an uninterested glare. Shippo sat next to Kagome and happily accepted the piece of paper to clean his mouth with.

'_Well, at least some demons do have manners._' Kagome thought as she surrendered a read and blue paper cloth to the small kitsune.

The whole Inutachi had retreated from their, yet again, latest Shikon hunt. The jewel was half way completed and Kagome found it only just that she go back to her own time to enjoy a well-deserved, long, soaking bath with the company of Ayumi Hamasaki. In fact, she had already packed, but agreed to stay for the meal.

When they were finally fed, Kagome bid her companions farewell and headed for the well with Inuyasha. He had insisted on accompanying her for the sake of her security. As of late, there had been an increasing number of spider demon activity near the well. Surely a human weakling such as Kagome, could possibly not defend herself against such foul beasts. Even though the demons in question were barely the size of a thumbnail and possessed very little threat to anyone who wasn't a flea demon. But Inuyasha had chosen to leave that bit out.

Still, Kagome knew the real reason why Inuyasha just had to see her off every time. He missed her. Even if he wasn't man enough to admit it. Sango had disclosed the fact that often times he would either perch in a tree near the well or just stare at the pits in anticipation of her return. Of course, he had tried to do so in secrecy, but it was a demanding task to try and hide things form an extremely well-trained demon hunter - who had a nosy little kitsune accomplish. Even though Naraku would more likely be riding on unicorns on a rainbow bridge before Inuyasha admitting to such conduct. Kagome was happy, nevertheless.

It wasn't always a picnic leaving behind her friends and family only to return to the warring ages where demons roamed the land and people still died from such simple things as flues. But knowing that at the end of the well, midst the horrors, there was someone always anxiously waiting for her, made it much more reassuring to return.

Inuyasha and Kagome halted at the well. They stood in silence for a while. Lacking the courage to do or say anything more, Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha and said: "Well, I better be going now."

The half demon laid his boyish, pale, golden eyes on her and stayed quiet even though his eyes spoke out his unvoiced feelings of hurt that she was leaving. Leaving him, again. Then it seemed like he was mustering up his courage to say something. But his nerves failed him and he turned his gaze away.

"Be back soon, ok? I don wanna come down and drag yer ass back by force."

Kagome sighed and smiled. "Aye, aye, boss."

'_I will miss you, too_.'

She gave him a carefree wave as she leapt into the pits of the well.

* * *

><p>Back at her own room, she gave her desk full of homework a pleading look. She quite didn't know which was worse. The definite possibility of being eaten alive by a 15-feet serpent demon in the Feudal era or Algebra in the modern era. She tossed her backpack on the bed and left to downstairs.<p>

"Hey, grandpa!" Kagome greeted the elderly man who was immersed in a newspaper in the kitchen. "What's my illness of the week?"

Her grandfather was roused by her voice and put aside his paper. "Oh, hello, Kagome. Yes, if your friends are inquiring, you're suffering from arthritis."

Kagome grabbed an apple form the kitchen counter and grimaced. '_C'mon grandpa! I'm only 15!_'

When she had compiled enough food, she return to her room with her loot and slumped unwillingly to her seat. She reached for her math book. Ayumi Hamasaki would have to wait.

* * *

><p>It was a new day and Kagome was full of renewed energy. She had managed to finish a wekk worth of schoolwork and couldn't wait to get back to the Inutachi. Yup, she would definitely on any given day rather take on the demons than the Algebra. She approached the shrine with a backpack full of food and other supplies. She fixed the bag on her back and peered into the well. Hopefully Inuyasha was already there, waiting for her. She had brought him a special treat this time. The girl smiled and leapt through time.<p>

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><p>For a moment, Kagome was blinded by the light that burst into her vision as she exited the time vortex. From the bottom of the well, she looked up at the cloudless morning sky. She climbed up the slippery rocks and heaved herself over the ledge of the well. To her dismay, Inuyasha was not there. But she didn't dwell on it for long. The air felt crispier than in ages. The sun was warm and bright. She breathed in deeply and headed to Kaede's village.<p>

As she entered Inuyasha's forest, she marvelled everything around her. She never did pay enough attention to her surroundings. Everything looked so new, fresh and interesting. Had that sapling always been there? Or that trail of yellow flowers? How about that little pond over there? Kagome frowned. She seriously should stop walking around blindfolded from now on.

When she reached the edge of the forest she expected to be greeted by the villagers who should be cultivating their fields at this time of the day. There usually were women carrying water and children playing in the field. But the sight that unfolded before her instead was horrifying. There was nothing. A patch of grass and more woods, but besides that, nothing.

Surely she couldn't have gotten lost? She had walked that same route hundreds of times. It was not simply possible that she was lost. Kagome turned back to the direction of the forest and was about to return to the well when she sensed a presence near her. She caught movement in the corner of her eye and jumped. "Who's there!" She demanded. But there was only yellow flowers swaying in the breeze. Had she imagined it? All kept quiet.

Her features relaxed and she straightened up from her slight shrivel. She still glared at the silent edge of the woods suspiciously, but decided to head back. When she turned her head, she almost bumped into a tall man with silver hair who stood right before her. Familiarly golden eyes studied her calmly. "How did you see me, human?"

_**A/N**__: Yeah, not much of a cliffy, considering that most of you probably read the summary. ON THE NEXT CHAPTER: The stranger is oddly familiar in both appearances and demeanour. Kagome also makes more horrifying discoveries._


	2. Chapter 2

His question softly faded into the wind as Kagome desperately tried to calm her racing heart down. She had almost tripled backwards by the surprise. After the initial shock, she wasn't sure if she was supposed to be afraid or glad to see a familiar face. Even though the person wouldn't have been her first pick.

"Sesshoumaru," she gasped, "what is going on in here?"

The man frowned. Kagome missed this gesture and twirled around to study her surroundings further. There was definitely something off with the scenery. And what were all those strange birds on the trees? She had never seen such things before.

As the girl marvelled the skies, the dog demon behind her was grinding his teeth. He found her behaviour atrociously insulting. A _human_ had the impudence of turning her back at _him_! His eyes flashed with the crimson that usually foreshadowed an act of violence.

"I am not this _Sesshoumaru_ you speak of." A low voice grumbled.

Kagome pried her attention away from the landscape and turned to face him. His claws twitched. The girl was about to protest at his ridiculous statement, but then she gave his features a closer look. She took a step closer and stared at his face. There wasn't a crescent moon symbol on his forehead. In fact, there was no symbol at all.

His looks were agreeable and with a quick glance he really looked a lot like the killing perfection, Sesshoumaru. The man had similar long, silver hair and forelocks which framed his chiselled features. He was about as tall as Sesshoumaru, but his golden eyes reminded Kagome of someone else.

"Oh, you're right" she smiled apologetically.

The demons nostrils flared. Had she any tact at all! To gawk at him at such a close proximity.

"I've rarely seen your kind. I thought that not that many of you existed anymore. Might you be a relative of Sesshoumaru's?"

In addition to her indiscretion and impudence, she had no decency to show any sign of concern over her well-being at his presence. He could rip her throat open just as easily as taking a breath. What was this creature?

"In which sort of delusion you assume you can address me so informally!"

"Well, excuse me." Kagome breathed in. She didn't have any patience for that kind of rotten attitude right now. She had to find out what was going on. "Hajimemashite yoroshiku. I am Higurashi Kagome. And I am taking my leave as of this instance."

Why were all dog demons so rude? She had no time to waste arguing with him. With that decided, she began trudging away. As elegantly as one could in a miniskirt and a backpack the half of her bodyweight which constantly made her gravitate towards the ground.

The baffled demon, which was left standing in her dust, scarcely remembered when his pride had suffered such an insult. He could only ogle after the peculiar human girl as she descended the way to the field below them. Why hadn't she been scared of him like all other humans? Who was the dog demon she spoke of? Did she have some kind of relations to his pack? And why did she dress like a harlot?

He followed her.

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><p>Kagome was making her way to Kaede's village. Or where she estimated it should have been. It was hard to tell since everywhere she looked, there was just more forest, more trees, trees, trees.<p>

Once in a while she peered over her shoulder. That stuck-up dog demon was following her. Not even trying to shadow her, but just bluntly walked after her in plain sight. She was as amused as she was irritated. Dog demons were curious to a fault.

After an hour of trekking which included her falling flat on her behind, getting tangled on tree roots, getting a nasty rash on her right leg and suffering from numerous insect bites, there were no signs of civilisation what so ever. She came to an abrupt halt. Her back was aching from the weight of her pack of which's straps had buried themselves to her shoulders. She was cold from sweating in the wintery weather. This was pointless. She could just as well walk to the end of the world and find nothing. As long as that stupid dog was stalking her, she might as well make him be of some use to her.

"Hey, excuse me!" She called him.

The dog demon that had stopped some distance behind roused his attention at her.

"Umm, do you know if there's a village somewhere around here?"

The demon merely scoffed and curtly ignored her.

'_Oh, definitely a relative._'

Kagome placed her hands over her hips and took a deep breath. "Aaaree theerree aanyyy peeoopleee aaanyywheeereee neeaaar?" She exaggeratingly articulated. Maybe that would get through his thick skull.

The demon's ears twitched, but besides that, he didn't react.

"PEEEEEOOOOOOOOOPLEEEEEEEEEE?" Kagome raised her voice.

In a swift motion the man pressed his hands over his ears and hissed at her. "Silence that insufferable noise, human!"

"Fine. Just answer a simple question. Is there?"

"What?"

"Is there a village anywhere near here?"

The demon lowered his hands and carefully sniffed the air.

"There are no humans in the proximity of 40 _ri_." He concluded.

"Ri?" Kagome mused aloud. "How much is that in kilometers?"

"That is a foreign unit of length to me." The demon replied somewhat irritated. Why was he obliging this woman with answers? This was getting bothersome.

"Okay… How long it would take me to walk to the nearest village?"

The dog demon's lip tightened. "I would estimate that it is a three days walk there. By a human." Before Kagome could ask anything else the demon raised his hand "I am not obligated to advice you any further. You are getting quite tiresome with your queries."

The human woman made a peculiar gesture of rolling her eyes which went by him. She sighed and shaded her eyes while looking at the sky. There was about few hours of sunlight left. Enough time for her to return to the well… If only she had any idea in which direction it was.

"Damn" she breathed under her breath. She had never been that good of a navigator, but at this completely unfamiliar environment it was impossible even with a compass. Presuming she had one. If she got lost she could bump into much more unpleasant demons than her current company. She glanced at the solemn silverhead.

"Umm, Mr. Dog Demon-" she began, but the demon cut her short, loudly remarking: "Human, I do not answer to such title. This person has a name. "

Kagome crossed her arms and waited for the demon to continue.

Briefly he pondered would it be worth the trouble to allow her to know his name if he'd simply end up eating her. What a waste of courtesy. But let it not be said that the dog demon clan was without class.

"Toga." He rumbled.

The girl nodded. "Okay, Mr. Toga…" She paused for a while. If he was proving to be anything like the other stubborn dogs she knew, it would be a job to convince him to help her.

"I have a proposition."

There was an oddly familiar smirk of arrogance on his face when he replied "Demons of class do not negotiate with lowly humans."

"But you don't strike me as stupid." Kagome smiled back at him. It was always a safe bet to appeal to the pride of demons. "Man of your intellect would surely appreciate a good bargain."

Toga's left eyebrow lifted ever so slightly to indicate that he was listening.

"I need you to guide me back to where I came from."

She knew he was about to object. "Ah, your troubles won't go unrewarded!" She exclaimed.

Kagome swung her pack on the ground and began to dig for something. A while later her hand came in contact with coarse paper. She pulled out a brown paper bag.

Intriguing odour offended Toga's sense of smell. Much the like woman, the scent was nothing he had encountered before.

The girl pulled out a brown lump of… presumably foodstuff from the paper wrapping. Toga took a few unconscious steps closer to her and that fascinating lump. At that moment Kagome was grateful for the dog chocolate she had brought along for Inuyasha. The silverhead was visibly interested.

Kagome handed out the piece of chocolate for Toga. "Here, try it."

Toga eyed the lump suspiciously and Kagome shook her head. "Seriously, why would I try to poison you when I need your help?"

She did have a point there. Toga quickly snatched the lump, trying to make as little as possible contact with her filthy skin. He carefully sniffed the brown, sweet lump. His salivary glands immediately set off. It smelled delightful and he had to swallow down the impatient pool of liquid in his mouth. He took a last, careful glance at the girl before tossing the lump in his mouth.

Kagome could actually see his pupils grow wide. She knew she had him.

After Toga got over his first ever sugar rush, he wanted more at once.

"No!" Kagome scolded when the demon had tried to reach for her goody bag. "Only after when you get me back to where I came from."

He snorted. "Why do you assume I'll let you live that long."

"Because…" Kagome began and focused all her priestess energy around her. Deep fuchsia pulsed from within her and Toga was knocked back by a hot throb of energy. "… you wouldn't stand a chance against me."

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><p>Toga was murmuring under his breath as the odd pair made their way back to the well. Why in the name of gods he had to take a stroll on that day. Or rather, why did she had to be wondering on his lands. Oh, god, why did he have to stick his nose into this one. He could have just left and leave her be, but goddamn that sho-co-lat was the best thing he had ever tasted.<p>

As they made their way through the forests and meadows, once in a while he delicately sniffed the air to confirm their route. The only thing they had to go on was the trail of her scent. Toga inhaled deeper and languorously mused her scent. It was sweet, a mixture of foreign flowers and cherries. It wasn't at all unpleasant considering how bad humans usually reeked.

"Human," he suddenly remarked and made Kagome almost lose her balance on the hill they were climbing.

"What is this peculiar fragrance of yours? It's unlike the usual reek of a human."

Her big brown eyes widened momentarily. Was he actually paying her some kind of backhanded compliment?

"It's probably L'Oréal." She replied and heaved herself up the rest of the steeper part of the hill.

Toga was already standing at the top and watching her struggles. He gave her a confused look and Kagome explained that is was a chemical substance to wash her hair with. The demon man scratched his chin and pondered aloud. "So, you are of a wealthy heritage as you have the means to purchase costly perfumed bathing oils. What confuses me is why you dress like a trollop."

"A trollop?" Kagome panted while trying to correct the position of her pack.

"That would be a common woman." Toga answered politely.

"Com-?" She was about to ask, but realized his meaning in the middle of her own sentence. She let out a frustrated shout. He had the nerve to call _her_ a **whore**.

"SIT!"

A screaming flock of scared birds made their escape from the abrupt noise, but other than that, the forest was uncomfortably silent. Had she seriously just tried to sit a full-fledged dog demon?

Toga was giving her a slow stare which spoke of his suspicion that he had given too much credit to her intelligence. The young woman was blushing fiercely and trying to explain something about a reflex around dog demons.

After a while of awkward hiking they stopped and stood in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The embarrassed woman tried to get over her previous blunder and observed the milieu. They had to be close to the well by now.

"Umm, why did we stop? I think we're not far."

Toga was lazily scanning the bushes and he replied without turning to look at her. "Your trail ends here" he said and pointed out a bald spot on the ground.

Kagome blinked in dull disbelief. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible that her trace ended here, because there was _nothing here_. "You're mistaken" she swallowed.

He gave her an annoyed glare. "The trail ends here. If you are not in trust of my words, be welcome to sniff your own way back to where you came from." He took a deep breath. "I kept my word. I brought you as far as I could. Now, hand me those sho-co-lats."

Kagome wasn't listening. She was merely staring at that bald spot of no return.

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><p><em><strong>AN**: According to my sources, the Sengoku Jidai, where Kagome originally ended in, is around mid 1550's. And Toga died 250 years prior (Inuyasha was about 200 years old when he was trapped to Goshinboku for 50 years and his father died the night he was born, 250 years ago.) So Toga died in 1300 when being 3000 years old. Kagome actually ends up all the way back to 1143 BC in the past. In the Joomon period when Toga was in his 550's. So relatively a young lad still._

_On the next chapter: Kagome discovers more about Toga and is introduced to the "pack"._


	3. Chapter 3

Toga and his unwitting human companion were walking around the ancient woodland. Or rather, Toga was keeping a track on the strange human woman who seemed to be wondering aimlessly at that point. She appeared to be in some state of shock, Toga mused.

"It has to be here", she muttered once in a while to herself.

There might as well have been a gaping crater on the ground; the demon doubted she would have even seen it there. It was pointless of her to search for a well in that condition. He shook his head lightly. This charade had gone on long enough. He was getting hungry and bored and the girl would not satisfy either of those needs. Toga gave a last glance at that peculiar creature and headed back to his pack. What nonsense.

Kagome was still trudging along without direction. She hardly even realized that Toga had left her. Neither did she notice when her feet came to a halt. Her backpack glided off her shoulder and she slumped down next to it. For the life of hers, she couldn't figure out what had happened that day. There had been absolutely nothing out of the ordinary when she had woken up that morning. No, everything had been perfectly fine. She even had managed to get a good night's sleep. Nothing unusual during her morning routines. Everything had gone just accordingly until she had climbed out the well. She had sensed it then. She had arrived at the wrong place. Or perhaps at the wrong time. She didn't know.

Kagome sat still for some time until she decided that she would get nowhere if she didn't keep moving. There had to be something, _someone_, who knew what was happening. She dusted her skirt and picked up her bag.

'_I should head… that way_', she decided.

When she turned, once again, Toga was standing right in front of her. He had appeared almost from thin air.

"What the…!" She yelled and tried not to fall over. She balanced herself against a tree trunk. "Would you mind **not** doing that every time!" Kagome said slightly startled. Toga didn't pay any attention to her. "Phew," she sighed and looked at him suspiciously, "Where were you?"

"Duck." Toga grumbled.

"Huh?" Kagome frowned at him. But before she could turn to face the direction Toga was looking at, he pushed her down.

"Uff!"

Kagome's face was greeted by a damp hummock and she furiously spat moss out of her mouth. She was prepared to give that man damnation when she'd get up. Before she could move, a bright flash arched over her body.

"Kurotsume!"

Powerful blast of black lights shot out of a katana that had appeared in Toga's hand.

Kagome could barely make out what was happening, being blinded by the forceful discharge of light. Toga ran off to the direction of the light and she heard the screech of metal clashing with metal. Someone was grunting and moaning until another wave of light made everything quiet down.

Kagome crawled up and rubbed her eyes. Further away, on the bed of hummock laid limbers and lumps of flesh. What she was able to make out of the remains there had been a small pack of demons lurking in the forest. Toga had been just in time to save her. Kagome cursed herself of being so caught up in her own worries that she had forgot to secure the area.

Toga was hunching over the bodies and tore a piece of cloth from one of the corpses. He straightened up and cleaned off the dark streaks of blood that tainted his blade. Kagome met with his gaze and watched how the urge of adrenalin was dissipating from his eyes.

"Thank-" she began until her eyes wondered to the katana in Toga's hand. She gaped at it with stupefying disbelief. There was no way she could forget something like it. That ominous jewel in the handle. The narrow blade in its slumbering form. The sight of Inuyasha being absorbed by that very weapon and turning to its slave.

'_So'unga_.' Her mind whispered the name carefully like it was a curse word.

She had thought it impossible that anyone could wield that blade. No one else, but…

Kagome's eyes very slowly, almost too afraid to, turned back to Toga's. The red glow had completely disappeared and two familiar amber orbs looked back at her. Amber orbs that for years had always offered her comfort and love.

The young priestess was hit by such a shock of realization that it almost threatened to shake her out of her state of consciousness.

"Y-you are… Inu to Taisho…" She stuttered and backed away.

The man sheathed his katana and hid it neatly to his clothing while simply stating, "I am not. I am the son of Inu no Taisho."

Numbness crept up from the soles of her feet to her entire legs. Kagome began falling when Toga hurried to her and grabbed a hold of her, forcefully keeping her from dropping to her knees.

"This place is not safe."

The girl watched his brow furrowing with something that might have been annoyment of his close proximity to a human or simply concern. Had Kagome been in a more coherent state she would not have done what her foggy brain deemed as a good idea at the moment.

Taunted by her curiosity and longing, she glided her palm over his cheek, unable to tell where Inuyasha began and where Toga ended. She felt the warmth of his skin creep though her touch.

Afresh her audacity left Toga flabbergasted. His immediate impulse was to throw her off his arms. He was disgusted by the fact that he had even decided to help her, let alone save her life and let her clammy hands run over his face like he was a pet dog.

He tried to distance her from his face while trying to hold her up by her shoulders, but her persisting hand didn't leave his cheek. Her half-lidded eyes slid from his eyes to his tightened lips.

Some kind of recognition lit her eyes so wonderfully that it lured Toga to pull her just a bit closer. When she looked at him, her eyes held something he had never seen in the eyes of his lovers. They were full of love and adornment. It confused and scorned him.

Unwillingly his mouth relaxed and partly opened when he pulled her closer again.

Just as he was reaching back to her in his own unintelligent trance, the girl slipped out of awareness. Toga snapped out of his trance when her body suddenly turned limp and he had to struggle to keep her from slipping from his embrace.

In a flying brief moment, her glow was gone. Toga was left standing in the woods with a woman who had dark rings under her eyes and cracking lips from dryness.

The dog demon sensed that others of his kind were on a scout not far. They were closing in on him and the girl. He sighed deeply through his nose. How was he supposed to explain this?

* * *

><p>Kagome stirred her eyes in a place without sunlight. Her hands explored the surroundings and she found herself lying on a bed of fur. When the girl's eyes came accustomed to the dimness, she made out that she was in some kind of a shed. There was nothing else inside except her makeshift bed. Soft voices murmured irascibly outside the shed. It sounded like a woman arguing with a man. After the woman ceased talking, she heard shuffling and someone entered.<p>

"You have awoken." Toga's voice stated above her.

She was about to ask where they were until her stomach gave a mighty growl.

"Uh, I'm sorry."

Toga didn't remark in any way, but just simply tossed her something that was tied in a lump of clothing.

"You lost consciousness earlier due to exhaustion. Eat and dress, I'll be waiting outside."

Kagome tried to stand up, but she felt awfully wobbly. Besides, as she soon came to realisation, she wasn't wearing any clothes. When the fur slipped off her chest and revealed her state of undress, she blushed fiercely and grabbed the hairy piece of animal skin to cover her from Toga's eyes.

The man simply gave her an accentuated stare to eat what she was given and without saying anything, left her.

Well, it's not like Kagome had really expected him to ask about her health or even pretend to be interested in such trivial things. She reached for the sag and opened it. There was a small array of berries and some dried fish with a flask made out of skin. Kagome pulled out a wooden cork and drank greedily. She hadn't had anything to drink for almost a day. The cold water hurt in her empty stomach.

After she had finished with her "meal", she checked what was left of the sag. It contained only one unceremonious rag made out of animal skin. It was worn and there were patches of fur here and there. Kagome tried to search the shed for her own clothes, but to no avail.

She decided against going out in her birth suit, so she resignedly inched into her new outfit. It looked more like a potato sag jumpsuit that was mix-bred with a hairless cat. The girl wrinkled her nose at how the material braised her skin.

She had to bend on her way out of the shed and when she stood up she saw dozens of dog demons gathered around small bonfires. As soon as she had stepped out, twenty pairs of eyes were on her. Most of the gazes she was given were either gleeful or disgusted.

The males were all tall and well built. Some of them repairing their weapons in the light of the fire. The females were all gorgeous with their slender physique, fountains of silver hair and flawless skin.

Most of the females were in a small group. All had been gathered around a particularly beautiful demoness that was dressed in a seifuku.

'_What?_' Kagome's mind immediately shrieked. It didn't bother her too much that she was midst powerful demons of which any could kill her in a flash if she just looked at them funny. Nobody screwed with her school outfit. They cost a fortune.

Kagome marched straight to the group of females who all stopped talking as she approached. The one in the seifuku gave her a particularly dismayed stare.

"Um, excuse me, miss. I believe you are wearing my uniform." Kagome called her out.

The demoness moved aside some of her friends and walked up to Kagome. The human girl almost felt intimidated when the 6 feet-something supermodel-like demon goddess came up to her.

"This is a far too luxurious item for a peasant slave like you, human."

Kagome felt like protesting at the demoness' attitude when her head fast-replayed what she had just heard and caught a word in the middle of the female demon's sentence.

"A slave? What are you going on about? I'm here to… Uh… I'm… Umm… Anyway. I am _not_ a slave _and_ I want my dress back. So, could you kindly return it to me? "

The seifuku demoness gave her companions an amused look and they all burst out laughing.

"What a bundle of joy you humans can be," she smiled joylessly. She bent her head down and almost whispered to Kagome "If you don't like being a slave, in that case, you can be my _dinner_."

An elegant hand was just about to lash across the fragile neck of Kagome when a stronger hand caught the demoness' hand mid air.

"Ishu, that's enough."

Toga threw the offending hand away and stepped between the human and the demoness.

"She's not for your amusement, Ishu." Toga rumbled.

The woman called Ishu sneered at Toga. "Spoilsport." But as Toga was the son of the clan leader, Inu no Taisho, Ishu did not challenge his authority. She backed away and left with her entourage.

"Hey, my dress!" Kagome yelled after them, but Toga stopped her from lunging after them.

When she wasn't able to claim back what was rightfully hers, Kagome aimed her blazing anger at Toga.

"Oh boy, you've got some explaining to do!"

Toga didn't really feel obliged to explain anything to her, but to avoid any further commotion he decided it was best to talk to her in private. He guided her outside the dog demon camp. One of the male demons yelled an extremely offensive remark after them. Implying that Toga was off to "do a dive in the dark" with his new human toy.

Kagome was so enraged that Toga had to carry her kicking and clawing away from the offender she had tried to attack. As Toga was doing his best to keep Kagome away from manslaughtering the demon, the human girl gave that foul mouth a good bloody stare as she was being carried away from the camp.

When they were a good distance away and Toga was sure that no one would interfere with their discussion, he began, being true to his style, very laconically explain that he had brought Kagome back to their camp after she had passed out and the other demons had found them. Because her outfit raised too many questions, he thought best to get rid of it. (At which point Kagome wasn't sure if she was supposed to be more mad about her dress or the fact that Toga had manhandled her while she slept.)

"Okay, I understand. What about the slave bit?" Kagome raised her eyebrow at him. "I'm not about to play some personal laundry lady for you, do you understand?" To emphasize her words, she raised her hand and a small fuchsia energy ball exploded on her palm.

"I do not think you have other alternatives at this point. It is too lengthy a walk for you to get to human population without any knowledge of the land or skills of hunt."

Kagome crossed her hands and weighted her options. He did have a tedious point there.

"Fine!"

Kagome walked up to his face and keenly started at him.

"But I will not play a slave." She stressed.

Toga was captivated by the fire he saw in her. She was so close that her priestess energy clashed with his youki. It was almost like static electricity had surrounded him. He could sense her power and determination. It fascinated him against his will.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: _Kurotsume_ is a sword move invented by me. It basically means "black claw". I figured that Toga, being the original owner of So'unga, must know a move or two that his descendants are not aware of.

On the next chapter: Kagome finally figures out where she is. She also meets someone who actually will live on to Inuyasha's time. So, more familiar faces to come!


	4. Chapter 4

The young priestess spent her night in a restless wake. Occasionally distant echoes of moonless howls brought her mind back to the present and turned her attention to her stomach which was panging from hunger. Kagome curled up into a small bundle, trying to fight off the sharp caress of the cold. She didn't have a blanket, pillow or any other forms of her usual comfort. Her bed was just a simple skin of a bear on a pile of prickling hay. Her breaths came out in white puffs telling her that the temperatures outside were below zero. She shivered with hunger and coldness, longing to be back at home.

"Please let this all be just a bad dream." Her voice came out thin and strange before she closed her eyes again.

A loud gurgle woke Kagome from her shallow sleep. She cradled her stomach in her hands.

* * *

><p>Rays of light crept into her shed from the small opening of animal skins that hung over the entrance as some sort of a door. But it didn't prevent the cold from creeping in, she dryly noted. All her muscles were aching and stiff from the bitter night.<p>

Kagome massaged her sore limbs. When she reached to give some attention to her neck, her rugged animal skin jumpsuit gave out a noisy rip. The stitching on the side of the garment had decided it had served enough many battles and masters. Kagome's suit had been torn all the way down to her hips.

"Fantastic."

She couldn't find anything in the shed to repair the suit with, so she squeezed the animal skin sag tightly to her chest in attempt to guard her modesty. Last night she had noticed that her trusty backpack wasn't in the shed, so she assumed that Toga had left it where she had passed out when they had searched for the well. Hopefully it would still be there. She had some spare clothing in there, as well as food and drinks. Oh well, chips and soda anyway.

Kagome crawled out of her temporary accommodation. The ground was still white with humidity that had crystallized on the grass in the frost of the night. It looked like everything was coated with sparkling powder sugar. A thickening mist hovered above the grass where the spring sun laid out its rays on the icy green canvas. It melted the last breath of night away making it vaporize into the air.

The young human girl couldn't see any demons near the camp side which she was thankful of.

She quietly crept out of the shed and headed back to the place she thought her backpack would be in. She had barely taken a footing in the forest when a voice nearby retorted.

"Do you even have any understanding of where you are heading?"

Kagome stopped on her tracks and sighed heavily.

"You're welcome to join me," she turned around and looked at the source of the voice "Toga."

The tall silver-headed dog demon emerged from the shadows and came closer to Kagome.

"Actually..." The woman began, "you could help me find my yellow pack. You know, the one that you left lying in the forest while you dragged my unwilling unconscious body to your demon lair."

Toga crumpled his eyebrows together in a manner that suggested he was about to protest, but suddenly his eyes grew wide. He sniffed the air very carefully.

"What..." he was just about to ask something, but a realization cut him short. His nostrils flared, confirming his suspicion. The woman was emitting a faint odour that wasn't there the day before. It was spring and he was certain that he human woman was entering heat. Spring in the demon world was common for demons to be getting into that state. Albeit it was early.

"What _'what'_"? Kagome asked when Toga seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"Nothing. Keep quiet and I'll take you to your belongings." He curtly answered and walked past her.

"_As polite as ever and so early in the morning, too._" Kagome thought to herself and followed Toga deeper into the forest.

* * *

><p>When they reached the area where Kagome had first lost her consciousness the human girl quickly spotted her yellow escort under the shades of a grandfather maple tree.<p>

'_God, let my Ramune be safe!_' She prayed and hurried to her property. She dropped to her knees and tore the zipper open. A single tear almost escaped her eye when she saw everything untouched.

"Thank you, Kami-sama!" She erratically yelped and attacked a bag of chips.

The Taiyoukai stayed behind and settled for observing that strange human behaviour of hers. She was definitely something he had never encountered before. Somewhat annoying and insolent, but he had to admit that she had an air of fearlessness to her considering that she was away from home and amongst a pack of demons.

The priestess was busy stuffing her face with junk food and hadn't noticed that her torn garment had peeled down from her upper body all the way to her waste which, by all means, had not gone unnoticed by the demon lord.

The fragrance of her fertility mixed with delicious odours of foreign delicacies created unfamiliar sensations within him. His ember gaze swept the contours of her bosom, stomach and hips. Even his stubborn demon pride was past denying that the body of that human was quite voluptuous.

Toga grinded his teeth together when the human let out a whimper of pleasure as she downed a bottle of juice. The juice dribbled down her neck and to her bare breasts.

Kagome wiped the delicious nectar from her chin and turned to offer some to Toga for his help. He was keeping his usual distance from her, but Kagome was taken aback by the pained expression he had. His eyes seemed to be fixed on something and Kagome glanced down.

Her whole upper body was stark naked and in his plain view.

In super human speed Kagome pulled the garment back up and reflectively screamed at Toga. "YOU HENTAI!"

Toga snapped out of his trance and quickly tossed his chin up.

"Don't flatter yourself into thinking that I'd be tempted by the least by your repulsive flesh, human."

Kagome could have been offended by his remark but the faint blush on his cheeks made his words less hurtful. He turned his back at her and Kagome could see so much of Inuyasha in him. The intimidating future leader of all dog demons was after all still just very much of a boy, just like his son.

"Could you please not turn around. I'm going to change my clothes."

Toga's shoulders gave a slight shake as he laughed dryly. "Don't fret, there's nothing that would compel me to do so."

But he could feel the warmth on his face.

* * *

><p>After a plentiful meal and a change of clothes, Kagome picked up her backpack and looked at her demon companion.<p>

"Toga, you said that the nearest village is in a three days walk by a human." She gave a pause. "How long would it take from a demon?"

Toga lifted his eyebrow and musingly answered. "I'd say that it would take a quarter of sunlight. To get there and come back, I mean."

"So, you could take me there and bring me back in three hours?"

"That is a foreign unit to... Excuse me! Why on earth would I agree to take you there?"

A cunning smile swept across Kagome's face. "I have more of that chocolate for you."

Toga didn't take a second to answer.

"Deal."

* * *

><p>Inuyasha was fast, but riding on the back of Toga felt like riding on a thunder. Kagome could barely make out anything of their surroundings and she held on to Toga for her dear life. Every time Toga descended down to jump back up for more speed, Kagome squeezed herself flat against his back in fear of falling off of him.<p>

The young demon lord couldn't remember when he had last run as fast. Even the hardest wind didn't catch up to him. His feet made the ground tremble with his powerful kicks and the air howled around their bodies as he tried to get to the village as soon as he could. The reason for his haste were the small fingers that gripped to the front of his robes, the arms that wrapped around him. And most pressingly the soft heaps of flesh weighing against his back and the soft thighs under his palms.

Toga had agreed to carry the human in a "piggyback". A strange and intimate position that didn't seem to bother the human half as much as it bothered him. He hadn't been as intimate with even some of his lovers.

And the thing that irked him the most was that... He was getting accustomed to her scent and touch. Every hour that passed between them, he felt less and less bothered by her. It terrified him to no end and he just wanted to get rid of her, the quicker the better.

They arrived at the outskirt of the village. Toga dropped Kagome off his back and retrieved to the forest.

"I'll be back soon. Wait for me here." She whispered from the edge of the trees and disappeared.

But Toga wasn't sure if he would be there when she came back. He looked at the barricade of trees that hid the village behind their wall of leaves and branches. Now the girl could be with her own and he wouldn't have to be bothered by her. He wouldn't have to think about her. He wouldn't…

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**__: Yup, I'm still not dead! And yeeeeeah, I promised that Kagome would meet a person from Inuyasha's time in this chapter, but this chapter turned out to be so long that I decided to chop it in two. And I just felt that this was drama-wise the best part to cut it in half._

_But I hope that the disappointment by the shortness of this chapter is somehow mended by the fact that today I'll be upping, not just one, two or even three, but FIVE chapters to my different stories! Aaaaand I can promise that there will be a lime in the next chapter. ;) So be patient and stay tuned, my lovelies!_


	5. Chapter 5

Against his better judgment, Toga found himself still staying at the edge of the village, waiting for Kagome. She had been gone for a long time; it would be dark by the time they returned to the demon camp. The young demon lord sighed and pressed his forehead to a tree trunk. Still feeling the ghost of her body on his back. He cradled the trunk between his hands.

"Toga?" A gentle voice called him.

He didn't turn around. His claws pierced the bark of the tree. He wanted to run from her voice. But the haunting scent of her heat nailed him to his place. Quietly a pair of arms draped around him from behind. Toga shivered. Why didn't that human fear him?

"Is everything all right?" Kagome murmured softly, her tone laced with concern. Small fingers sensuously ventured on his chest and climbed up to his neck and jaw.

"No." His voice came out strangled. He shoved her hands away and spun around. Kagome took a step back and her big, round eyes filled with confusion. She hugged her hands against her chest in a defensive gesture. The inu youkai closed the distance between them. Kagome had to tilt her head upwards to look him in the eyes.

"Why have you no respect for me?" Toga growled. When he was so close to her she stood barely to the level of his chest and seemed smaller and more fragile than she truly was.

Toga gripped her shoulders and forced his mouth on hers. Kagome whimpered from the sudden contact. That small sound rattled something primal inside the demon. Her whimper sounded like a squeak of mouse to a hungry cat. He snarled and threw Kagome on the ground. He followed her to the bed of grass and pinned her body down with his own.

Kagome breathed in quickly.

The dog demon hooked a seam of her clothing with the tip of his claw and pulled back. The clothes on her body were torn to shreds effortlessly. Kagome didn't shy away from his eyes.

"Is this how you want me?" She simply asked.

Toga adeptly took a hold of her hips and turned her body around so that she was on all fours in front of him. Like a good submissive bitch.

Toga marveled the arch of her back and glided his hands on her naked contours as he untied the robes on his umanori.

"I can take no more of this." He admitted out loud. "I must have you."

He didn't wait to have her approval, it was unnecessary. In his mind, she was his and rightfully his to claim. His to undo as he pleased. Toga guided his hardened male organ to her rump and forcefully, almost violently, entered her.

Kagome moaned. Urged him to continue. Her heat engulfed him, made him see, hear or feel nothing but her being. His dug his claws to naked flesh on her hips. Kagome trashed her head.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah." She screamed in fervor.

Toga couldn't hold it in longer. The painfully tight knot in his belly felt like the grab of strong fingers that squished his intestines and testicles into a small ball. Squeezing so hard that they would burst.

Toga let out strangled grunts as he released himself.

But it wasn't Kagome's warmth around his member but his own hand. Toga was still leaning on the tree trunk and panting from the dissolving memories of his fantasy. When the afterglow of his release dissipated, his reason slowly came back to him. Guilt and shame washed over him.

Such vile thoughts. He hid his face into his hands.

* * *

><p>Kagome barely registered the sunset and the rising moon. She continued to walk back to the forest in blind disbelief.<p>

What she had gathered from the locals was that she had travelled well over 3000 years into the past. To this foreign place where she had no friends and no way of maybe ever returning home. The well wouldn't be constructed in few millenia and, as far as she knew, it was her only ticket home.

Kagome instinctively stopped at the place where she had parted with Toga, not fully being aware of stopping. She fought back all the tears in her eyes and the emerging feel of panic in her chest. She was left with an empty void within herself. Would she ever be able to hug her mother, bicker with her little brother, travel with her friends of be finally held by Inuyasha? Were all those things that would fade from her memory in time, dreams that would cease to exist as she was left to survive in this strange and hostile time?

The young woman hardly noticed as Toga hopped down from the tree she was slumped against.

"If you are done with your inquiries, we must take our leave. I'm sensing demons nearby."

"Yeah, you're right." Kagome replied without as much as a blink.

Toga grouched on the ground so that Kagome could more easily climb on his back. She wrapped her arms around him and Toga was glad that his earlier release had taken the worst edge off the efects of her touches. Kagome curled against his back and Toga jumped high above the trees.

* * *

><p>At the dead of night, they arrived at the dog demon camp. Kagome no longer rode on Toga's back. She had dozed off so many times and kept slipping on his back that Toga had grown most irritated and decided to carry her back on his arms.<p>

When he walked past some male inu youkai, he couldn't help noticing the hungry gleam in the eyes of some of his brethren. They were obviously no more immune to the scent of a ripe untouched fruit than he was. But unlike Toga, they had no moral obligation to hold themselves off.

Toga bared his fangs at some of his fellow demons as a gentle reminder that the woman was his property. His.

Most of the male dog demons adverted their eyes, but some defiantly followed Toga's moves from the shadows, licking their lips with anticipation.

Toga entered Kagome's hut and gently placed her on a tuff of fur and skin. He had to pry her fingers off his clothes and felt disturbing concern over her. She had a snowball's chance in hell if a pack of demons decided to sully her, powerful as she may be. Toga finally got Kagome off of him and looked at her slumbering figure. Small, fragile.

Toga exited her hut and sat smack middle of the entrance. He could easily go without sleep during the time her heat needed to pass. He would sit there guarding her sleep even if it made him feel submissive and humiliated. But he rather faced the snickers and snide comments from his pack than let them rape and rip her apart. A thought that should have been completely insignificant to him, but for the reason he still denied knowing, felt very significant to him.

* * *

><p>Toga had sat on guard for the rest of the uneventful night and was already pretty confident that no one was bone-headed enough to challenge him, as horny as his companions might've been. The humidity was getting thinner and Toga knew that the sun was only few moments away. Right when he was sure that Kagome would still have her sanctity intact in the morning, he felt a strong demonic aura near him.<p>

An older male approached him and even though he appeared calm, Toga could sense his ominous agenda.

"Yanagi-san, I advice against what you are about to attempt." Toga growled and tensed his muscles.

The one called Yanagi simply smiled lazily bearing his pearly fangs.

"Toga-san. You are not the king here. You have no first right to our prey, may as you be the genral's son or not. You are inferior to me in age and in rank, need I remind you."

Toga stood up and faced Yanagi eye to eye. Toga saw the seeping crimson in his corneas, adding threat to his statement.

"There's truth in what you say, but this woman is already taken. She's mine." Toga crossed his arms and lifted his chin up in an attempt to look bigger and taller which there was no real need to. He was clearly more sizeable than Yanagi.

The other demon snickered "Save your lies. I can easily smell from here that she is unspoken for. "

Yanagi tried to push past Toga, but Toga halted him with his blade.

"Don't worry, Toga, if you so wish, I won't take her life." Yanagi lowered his voice to almost a whisper "I'll even save some for you."

The thought of Yanagi, or anyone else, touching her, made him ill with rage. She was his to have, and when he'd wanted to have her, he would make sure she also wanted him.

"Your last warning." Toga snarled and felt his own eyes becoming hot with blood rushing to them.

"The hard way it shall be." Yanagi replied and pulled out his own sword.

Toga didn't hesitate. Their rugged blades clashed together creating bursts of sparks. Neither demon used the real form of their swords because both understood that lashes of full demonic attacks could potentially destroy their camping base. So, the two demons merely competed by fencing. Toga was reasonably sure that he could have won either by using his special attacks or with just his hands, but he didn't want to actually kill Yanagi. So he refrained from using his real strength, even though Yanagi proved to be an excellent swordsman. Toga had to use all his concentration to avoid the swings of his opponent's blade.

Yanagi swirled his katana effortlessly around Toga. Toga snarled as he was reduced to simply block his hits and not being able to deliver some back. A quick glint of steely gray flashed before Toga's eyes and white strands of hair fell to his feet. Toga was missing a fistful of his mane.

"Why bother defend her? She's just a human." Yanagi taunted and cut some more of Toga's hair before the younger male could evade. Yanagi made a swift diversion for wich Toga fell. Toga tried to lunge his sword at Yanagi, but the older demon went another direction. Before Toga could recompose his bearing, a sharp blow knocked him on the ground. Toga lost the grip on his katana and fell face first into the ground. Before having the chance to get up, Yanagi bestrode him, grabbing a hold of Toga's hair from behind and pulling his head up.

"As of yet I haven't hand any complaints. I'm guessing that she will even like some of the things I'm about to do to her." Yanagi's words came out hot against Toga's cheek. Yanagi raised his sword and was about to pin Toga by the shoulder but Yanagi soon found himself laying on the ground.

Toga flung Yanagi's sword somewhere in the bushes and grabbed the other demon by his throat. Now Yanagi was underneath Toga and Toga let his claws pierce the skin of his opponent.

"You will leave now and not come back until a week has passed. Understood?" Toga growled, resisting the urge to sink his claws all the way through his neck up to his spine.

When Yanagi didn't reply, Toga let his claws sink even deeper. Yanagi started to have trouble breathing and could only produce gurgling noises.

Toga moved his face so close to Yanagi's that he could taste the blood that was gathering in Yanagi's throat and mouth.

"A week. Nod if you understand."

Yanagi's eyes slowly began returning to their aureate color and he weekly nodded. Toga let go of his throat and let him lay on the ground. Toga picked up his own katana and entered Kagome's hut without even glancing back.

* * *

><p>The sun was up and the first light crept to walls of the hut. Toga wiped beads of sweat from his brow. It was hot in the hut. Partially because the sun was getting warmer by the day, partially because two persons in a small confined space created heat on their own. But mostly because Toga hadn't shaken off the adrenaline rush from the fight he had moments ago and Kagome smelled like a banquet to a starving man. Toga tried to moisten his dry mouth and reached for a small clay cup which served as Kagome's refreshment. He downed a few gulps of water and leaned back to the wall of the hut.<p>

He had spent the whole night debating what to do about that peculiar human creature. He couldn't abandon her in the forest or take her back to the human village. The demons would make mincemeat out of her If left in the woods. And Kagome was clearly not like other humans. She dressed like she came from some faraway land and she had enormous miko powers. Other humans would burn her on the stake if they knew.

She was better off with him, Toga sighed and submissed to the thought. But as long as she was in heat, she wouldn't be safe with his kin, not even perhaps himself. Toga looked at her sleeping figure and held his desire at bay. Her bare long legs were uncovered since Kagome had kicked off the fur blanket in the heat of the night. Sweat trickled down her smooth thighs in small streaks. She tossed her head in her sleep and grabbed the animal skins beneath her body. Her chest was rising and descending as her breath quickened.

Toga crawled soundlessly next to her makeshift bed and watched her brow crease and relax as she continued to dream of things Toga had no understanding about.

"Mama, the air conditioning is not working. Can I go out and buy an ice-cream?" She mumbled in her sleep.

Toga couldn't resist his curiosity any longer. He carefully grazed her lips with his thumb and they felt just as soft as he had imagined they would. He smiled. But suddenly, as if driven by a lash of whip, he backed away from her. His hand trembled so he tried to calm himself down by burying his claws into his forearm. He cradled his hands against his chest.

Kami, he had no shame or control over himself. That woman made him act and think in manners that he had never conceived possible. What would he succumb to? A puny human, miko or not, would not make a fool of a noble youkai. Who did she think she was, goddamn! Humans were filthy, ugly, feeble creatures. He'd rather burn in hell than defile himself with a weaker constituent.

Toga had almost convinced himself to resign his duties as that human woman's aid and guard until Kagome let out a small sigh and murmured someone's name in her sleep.

"Inu..sh."

Toga crept back and observed her for longer. He had thought humans to be filthy, but her scent was absent of odours he usually associated with humans. Rorearu? He tried to remember the name of the soapy scent Kagome had mentioned that first day. Though did it really matter? Toga dipped his head into her hair and inhaled her scent. A shiver ran up his spine and instinctively he needed more of her.

Her smell would cling to him he thought as he continued to nuzzle her raven locks. He couldn't stop his hands from venturing down to her thighs. So smooth, so soft, Toga chanted in his mind. This would be enough, he promised himself. Just a little touch to get it out his system, he swore.

But when his hand warily massaged her soft flesh, the human unexpectedly opened her legs for him.

"Inu..sh." She murmured again and sighed.

The air fused with the scent of her arousal and fertile state. Toga could feel his eyes practically burn with blood-red desire. A well-equipped bulge strained the front of his umanori. His hands stopped their venture on her body and he squeezed a wisp of her silky hair in his fist.

Before being able to stop himself, Toga had disrobed himself. He went to get the clay cup and situated himself next to Kagome. Slowly his hand sought for his throbbing member and began ministering strokes on the hardened organ. He let his free hand roam her body while he buried his head in the crook of her neck.

He gave a tender lick to her throat and Kagome let out a broken breath. In his imagination it was his name Kagome whispered. It was for him that she opened the gates to her inner sanctum. The speed of his strokes increased and he shut his eyes.

* * *

><p>Some time later Kagome woke up from a nice, relaxing dream. All things considered, she had had a good night's sleep. Even the usual coldness didn't disturb her night. She yawned and flexed her arms. Maybe she was starting to get used to the prehistoric setting she was stuck in. Maybe things wouldn't...<p>

"Gyaaaaaaah!" She shrieked when her train of thought was cut by the realisation that a man was standing in her hut. After the frantic brain of the scared-shitless Miko realized that it was Toga, Kagome gave up on trying to find whatever suitable for throwing at the intruder.

"Good Lord, Toga!" She huffed. "You took years of my life just now."

Toga remained in his stoic stance and stared at her blankly. It seemed to Kagome like the poor man hadn't had a wink of sleep for a week. His complexion was pale...er than usual and his eyes bleary. And his expression was somewhat... constipated.

"Umm, is everything all right?" She inquired carefully.

The question seemed to snap Toga out of his trance. He cleared his throat and picked something up from the ground. It was a small clay cup, her drinking cup as a matter of fact. Rather it wasn't filled with water but with a thick murky ooze. Toga hastily placed it next to her bead and leapt away.

"Use it." He murmured under his breath, bearly audible.

Kagome picked up the cup and examined the ooze.

"How? What is it?" She placed the cup under her nose and took a sniff. It smelled like salt and protein. Toga buried his burning face into his hands but Kagome was too busy to notice.

"Smells like egg whites. Looks like, too." The miko mused aloud and dipped her index finger in the cup. The ooze clung to her finger like mucus. She pressed her thumb and index finger together and when she parted her fingers, a thin string of the ooze appeared between them.

Toga shook with anger and humiliation. "Quit jesting around, woman! Just use it on your skin!"

Kagome wanted to shout back at Toga for yelling at her, but was silenced by his face. He was either having a stroke or he was actually blushing. Either way, Kagome was really confused about what was going on.

"Hey, is everything okay with your face? I mean, you look kinda... scarlet."

Toga quickly turned his back at Kagome and spoke sharply back at her. "Nevermind me. You need to apply it on your skin."

"Why?" She demanded.

Toga slapped both of his hands on his forehead and tried to restrain himself from going over at her and either smacking her on the head or trying out another way to get his scent on her. Idea of the latter made his pants feel rather uncomfortable.

"Just. Please. For once. Do as you're told." He begged. His voice was filled with sincere stress and strain. Kagome saw best not to argue with him further.

"Okay..." She muttered. "Where? I mean, where do you want me to '_apply_' it?"

Toga swallowed painfully before answering. "On your inner thighs and abdomen." Before submissing himself to further inquiries, Toga left her hut. Kagome was left behind with the clay cup in her hands and a puzzled look on her face.

* * *

><p>Outside the hut, Toga sighed with relief and rubbed his weary face. At least now the other demons wouldn't cause him any more trouble. It was pretty much obvious to everyone that he had spent the night in the human woman's quarters. And with his scent masking her untouched state, no-one would dare to challenge his position as the one who had claimed her and owned her. And maybe his own scent on her would subdue his own primal urges for fornicating. His brain would interpret the scent as a sign of conquered prey. It would hopefully lessen his urges.<p>

Short while after, Kagome pushed her way out of the hut. Dressed in one of those strange futuristic clothes of hers. This time she was wrapped in all the colors of the rainbow, like a human canary. Making her stand out like a sore thumb in the forest that was muted green. That creature's vanity rivalled her stupidity, Toga rebuked in his mind. Did she truly that badly want to be an easy target for hostile demons and predators? With those strange pants that were practically glued to her shapely long legs. And that whimsy, totally whether inappropriate shirt that did absolutely nothing to hide the shape of her bosom. Toga stared at Kagome's ass and smelled the intense scent of his sex on her body. In less than three blinks, he had gone from flaccid to painfully hard. Against his earlier forecast, instead of holding his sexual instincts at bay, smelling his own semen on her just made him want her even more badly. It made him want to take her right there and then.

"Is your stomach okay? You've been acting really weird this morning?" Kagome asked but her voice sounded like it came from a deep cave at a great distance. None of the words were even recognizable to his brain anymore. So, Toga didn't even try to reply and just crudely ran off. Kagome tried to wave after him, but he didn't hear her before disappearing into the woods.

"What the hell?!" Kagome yelled behind him and some of the dog demons further away in the camp stared at the strange human.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I got you there at the beginning, didn't I? ;) Shame on you! You ought to know Kagome better than that! She would not give in so easily to Toga. Especially since she's not totally convinced that he even likes her. Let's see… I KNOW that I still haven't introduced the person from Kagome's time, but seriously, this chapter just lived its own life and kept expanding and expanding... Anywho, that person WILL be introduced in the next chapter. And that chapter will be up hopefully within the next couple of days (maybe today even?). ^_^**_


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as Toga was somewhat sure that he was out of earshot for the other demons, he stopped running and tore his umanori open. He grabbed his throbbing member and began to violently tug it. He wasn't taking much pleasure from his ministrations, he just wanted to rid himself of the need. Grunting and shivering he quickened his pace and relentlessly squeezed his tortured organ.

He forced the last drop out and collapsed on the mossy ground. Pressing his face against the greenery, panting. Why on earth did this have to happen now? He had lived through hundreds of spring heats in his life and not once had any female affected him like that human did. Admittedly he was intrigued by the opposite sex and many times had been asked to sire them. He was, after all, the son of the Great General, once to rule the Western lands. Sharing his blood was highly sought complement among the females. But Toga didn't really have that much interest in continuing his bloodline yet. Even though he found some of the offers tempting. But he had his reasons to forgo.

It was true that some of the inu youkai enjoyed recreational mating but it wasn't as common as it was among humans or other youkai species. Inu youkai mainly mated for reproductional purposes during the spring when the bitches were in heat. Outside of that time frame, males were forced to either couple with other youkais or, on the very rare occasion, with humans. But as the meaning was not to breed, some males sometimes killed their partners to ensure that their bloodlines were not soiled or diluted with other species.

Abstinence had never been a trial or a burden to Toga. As tempted as he might have been a few times, his body never had betrayed his reason. Until now.

Toga dug his claws in the soil. If that human was ever to offer herself to him, he had just as much chance denying her as the willow had a chance of not being swayed by a stormy wind. He growled at the thought. He would have to make sure it would never happen. Whatever his cock demanded, he refused to tarnish his bloodline. That human would not seduce him. There was just one pressing problem. His treacherous nose. If he just as much as caught a sniff of her heated scent, his willpower crumbled like a dry leaf. Toga groaned and sank his face in the moss.

Unless. His eyes lit up. Unless he couldn't smell her. It would solve the problem. Toga rejoiced his ingenuity and grabbed a tuff of moss in his hands. He laughed manically.

* * *

><p>Back at the camp, Kagome was trying to find something to do. All the demons avoided her presence, which she was used to, but there was something bothering her in the way they did it. Usually when she had been in the proximity of other demons, they simply held their noses high and turned their backs at her. Now they seemed almost... Scared? They would quickly eschew her when she came near and instead of showing open disdain they looked concerned and began whispering to each other. It greatly bothered her, but she knew there was absolutely no-one she could ask about it.<p>

Defeated, lonely and bored, Kagome decided to let it be and headed into the forest. Maybe there could be Wood Sorrel, roots and other edible plants to be found. She couldn't rely on her stock of chips forever.

Kagome trekked her way in to the forest, making sure to not wonder too far off from the woodline. If she ran into trouble, there was no-one saving her ass. The miko crumpled her nose when a twig lashed at her leg, tearing into the fine fabric of her leggings. These weren't an ideal outfit for the time or the weather, but she had wanted to pack lightly to save room for food when leaving home on that particular day. Plus her mom hadn't had the chance to do laundry yet, so she was stuck with some unconventional choices regarding her wardrobe. It's not like actually thought _ideal_ to wear leggings' and tank tops in the spring. But it was still better than skirts and kimono's when it came to mobility. Besides- Kagome stopped suddenly and quit defending her clothing to someone who hadn't even questioned it yet. She sensed a demonic aura nearby. She carefully hoisted her bow up and drew an arrow from the leather quiver fastened to her back.

The aura wasn't threatening but it was overwhelmingly strong. Kagome squeezed the bow in her hands.

'_It's better to sit this one out. I should just back out slowly. It might've not noticed me yet. Better for both to avoid confrontation._' Kagome tried to calm herself as she began walking backwards. Not wanting to turn her back at that great aura that clashed with her own reiki. But she could sense that it was too late. The aura suddenly darted straight into her direction. Kagome froze, knowing that whatever was coming at her, it would outrun her effortlessly. The whole area was taken over by that magnificent aura in just seconds. It waited her in the shadows.

Kagome remained in her stand and scanned all the bushes, the peak of her arrow following her gaze.

"But down your weapon, human. You are at no harm here."

Kagome almost dropped her bow when she heard the voice. Following that voice was a figure that peaked from behind a large tree.

In awe, Kagome let the string of her bow loosen and descended her weapon. She stared at the youkai that gracefully walked towards her.

It was a inu youkai, a small girl. For the first time Kagome was seeing an inu youkai child. The girl was probably way older than Kagome was, by decades maybe, she wasn't sure how they aged, but she appeared to be around 12 by human standards. She was dressed in a dark blue hakama, with a great white fur shawl draping her shoulders. Her hair was fair as snow and it was held up and divided into to two long tails. Her bangs were also held up, revealing a delicate crescent marking on her forehead. But what was most fascinating feature about the girl, was not what was on the outside, but what was in the inside.

All dog demons Kagome had come to know by now all had a flaring, hot aura. This girl did not. Her aura was cool and calm, terrifyingly strong. Actually, Kagome _had_ sensed an aura similar to this girl. And now when she thought about it, that crescent marking was also familiar.

"You are.. Are you Sessh.. Umm, uh, oh." Kagome stumbled on her words. This _had_ to be the mother of Sesshoumaru. Toga's wife. Or wife-to-be. And obviously the name of Sesshoumaru would hold no meaning to her. Yet.

"I am the daughter of the great Sesshoumaru-sama. The lord of the Eastern lands. I am... Kimiko." She answered to Kagome's unintelligent stammering with a polite smile.

Okay, so obviously the killing perfection was named after his grandfather. And the miko had to admit, he took way more after to his mother's side of the family. In many regards.

"Will you not introduce yourself to me?" The suave soft words of Kimiko's sounded equally friendly as they sounded threatening. But Kagome sensed no ill intentions from her aura. Maybe her seemingly deadly demeanor was just part of her personality. Chills ran through Kagome's spine. If that lady ever meant business, depicting from her aura, she would grow to be some piece of hard meat in her womanhood. She could probably easily kick the asses of all the male inu's Kagome knew.

"I'm... Kagome... Uh. Daughter of the Higurashi shrine." She clumsily tried.

Kimiko chuckled gently. Even though her honey golden eyes remained cold as dry ice. She closed her eyes and turned her back at Kagome. Kimiko could clearly smell the scent of a certain male inu on Kagome. Quite an interesting move from his part.

"Run along now, Kagome. We'll meet again." She flicked her wrist as a goodbye and disappeared back into the dark of the forest.

Kagome didn't wait for a second admonition. The small hair on her skin stood up all over her body.

* * *

><p>When Kagome returned to the village, Toga still hadn't gotten back. Somewhat disappointed, Kagome sighed and headed back to her lodgings. When she was nearly there, she was stopped by an rude knock on her back.<p>

"Hey, ow, watch it!" Kagome protested and tried to rub the aching spot. She turned around to meet a familiar face that hovered way above her own. What was even more familiar, was the dress on the body of said demon. Ishu. They would have to have another discussion about private property, Kagome decided, but Ishu had another thing coming.

"Is it true!?" Ishu fumed. Quickly she covered her mouth and nose in disgust. "Oh, kami, it is!" She skreighed when the offending odour drifted down wind to her nose.

Kagome swiftly forgot her gripe about her school uniform by this new accusation.

"What now?" Kagome grumbled.

Ishu tried to reign her gag reflex, at least enough to let that human harlot get a piece of her mind.

"How _dare_ you? Have you no common sense or decency, you... You loose slag!"

Kagome almost fell to her behind. She wiped off droplets of saliva that had splattered on her face as Ishu was yelling at her no more that few inches away.

"Say it, don't spray..." That would just go way above Ishu's head. "What exactly are you excusing me of doing?"

Ishu snickered dryly and crossed her arms. "Oh, feigning innocence now? I suppose you are completely unaware that Toga's cock went up your cunt last night then?"

Intense heat gathered around Kagome's face. One third of embarrassment, one third shock and last third of sheer anger. _WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!_

"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!" Kagome shrieked, her eyes burning just as hot as her cheeks and Ishu had to actually take a few steps back, just to avoid any permanent hearing damage. "NO-ONE'S... NOTHING WENT UP... NOWHERE LAST NIGHT! OR ANY OTHER NIGHT!"

If there was any way possible that someone hadn't heard their previous shouting, now it was utterly impossible. The dead could hear Kagome's bellows.

On cue, Toga suddenly appeared to stop the females from shouting each other deaf.

"Enough!" Toga firmly announced and stepped between the human and the demon woman.

"What is she talking about?" Kagome pointed at Ishu from behind Toga's back.

"How could you?!" Ishu shouted and pointed right back at Kagome.

"What is going on?!" Both women yelled at Toga.

Toga hung his head low for a moment to take a deep breath through his mouth. Then he looked unwaveringly at Ishu. His words were slow and articulated.

"Just what do you think happened, Ishu." Toga harshly said. It wasn't a question.

Seeing his determined eyes, the fighting spirit left from Ishu.

"You cannot seriously mean..." She tried to comprehend while still pointing at Kagome.

"It is not your business, Ishu." Toga answered more softly now.

"What are you two talking about?!" Kagome tried to butt herself into the conversation but the demons crudely ignored him.

Ishu shook her head. "How could you do this? To Kimiko? Your mate? How could you possibly go and rut another woman? A human, nonetheless!"

The heat that had just began to dissipate from Kagome's cheeks, returned with a vengeance. Ishu, and now thinking about the behavior of the other demons, suggested that they were all under the impression that Toga had laid with her. But how could they have come to such a conclusion? And more importantly, why was Toga not denying it!

"It's not..." Kagome tried to explain, but Toga silenced her with a wave of his hand and a glare so powerful, Kagome lost the track of her own sentence. It was also that Kagome finally noticed that Toga's nose was stuffed with moss.

'_Whatta?_'

"What I do with my property is on my decision. And I haven't mated Kimiko, yet, as you are aware. If you find my discreetness lacking or distasteful, that is your concern, not mine." Toga's tone of voice confirmed that the discussion was over. Ishu didn't try to argue no more. She simply shook her head at Toga and gave a final parting scowl at Kagome before storming off.

Toga shut his eyes close. He could feel the fuming hot reiki behind his back.

* * *

><p>Toga entered Kagome's hut in the wake of said woman's steps. Kagome seated herself on to the pile of skins and didn't wait for Toga to find comfortable place to sit in.<p>

"Explain. Now." Kagome commanded.

Toga leaned his body on his hand that rested against the wall of her hut. No point beating around the bushes.

"You are in heat." He answered. Expecting that to make Kagome suddenly realize everything.

Kagome blinked a few times. It had been explained to her by Sango that male demons referred to ovulation as being in heat. It simply meant the time females were fertile.

"So what if I am? What has that got to do with any of this nonsense?"

Toga turned his eyes on Kagome and gritted his teeth. How did she not understand.

"I was... forced to take measures ensuring that no other male would try to claim you." He explained under his breath. Hoping that the human woman was capable of doing some reasoning on her own. And not to force him explain in any more detail his humiliating acts.

But all his answer did was to create more confusion in Kagome's head.

"I still don't understand. What '_measures_' are you talking about?" She had an eerie inkling on his answer, taking how all the other demons thought Toga had slept with her. But she wanted to hear the whole thing.

Aggravated, Toga decided that she would never drop the subject lest he give her a full explanation. Even though he reaaaaaally didn't want to.

"Your heat makes you smell tempting to men. Especially since you are a maiden. Though my kind rarely engage in those kinds of activities with human women, some were tempted to lay you. And it doesn't always end in there. I know that some kill their partners afterwards, ensuring that there are no unwanted offspring from such joining. Youkai don't take kindly to diluting their bloodline." Toga swallowed trying to figure out how to sound as nonchalant as possible about the next part. "I didn't particularly hope that to happen to you. So I offered my cum to you so you could stray any other males off. If they smell me, they won't be tempted to touch you since they would have to answer for it to me."

Kagome listened to his explanation silently. Taking in his words. The world in the ancient times weren't full of puppies and rainbows, yes, she knew that perfectly well, but what he was saying sounded really harsh.

Youkai males actually raped and killed women just for recreational fun? And they would rather take an innocent life than risk the chance of bringing a half-breed into the world? Kagome had no idea how truly hated Inuyasha and other hanyous really were in the eyes of full youkais. They were nothing. Less even. Just now she could truly see and feel the hate and fear Inuyasha must have been forced to suffer through whole his life. Because that man who stood in front of her. Telling her calmly that it was a common practice to rape and kill human women just to satisfy their own twisted desires.

"Do you think like that?" Kagome quietly asked. "Do you think it's okay what you kind does to women that might carry _unwanted offspring_?"

Toga was puzzled by her question. He settled for answering her truthfully.

"I think nothing of it. I have never been in a situation where I would have had to contemplate on the morality of such action. But what I do think is that a man should have more dominion over his desires than to succumb to the will of his cock."

Kagome slightly blushed at his coarse word. She bit to her lower lip.

"Have you ever been temped to?" The question came out half-subconsciously. She really didn't know what she wanted to hear him answer. And couldn't really blame him for not wanting to answer at all. But those... uh, inventive noseplugs of his just tugged at her curiosity. Toga swiftly turned his back at her.

Why would she want to know such a thing? Had she noticed something? Did she remember what happened the night before? Toga's brain frantically thought. Was he really that much influenced by her that he would lose control like that? Toga sneezed the tuffts of slimy moss out of his nose and relished at the ability to breath freely again. His joy was quickly clouded by her scent. It wasn't as overpowering as it had been earlier. Her heat was obviously passing but it still called out to his blood. What was he supposed to answer her when even he didn't want to admit her affect to himself.

Kagome understood from his silence that he was reluctant to talk about his temptations or lack thereof.

"I think that hanyous are beautiful." She broke the short silence. Just to lift off the awkwardness unknowing that she just increased his confusion.

"They are an even balance of the two worlds of strength and heart." She thought about Inuyasha while speaking and smiled to her own thoughts. "I think that you full youkais easily dismiss them as weak, but they are anything but. I've seen them fighting powers that not even you could defeat. No matter how high and mighty you think of yourselves. But hanyous are free of those failings of yours that you are blind to. I think they are positively... perfect."

Toga's eyes widened. He had never known any hanyous intimately to form any definite opinion besides what had been taught to him about them. But why was she telling him all that? He had always supposed that humans hated hanyous just as much as youkais did. After all they were just as inconvenient reminder of unnatural joining to humans. Or maybe... She didn't look upon such joining as unnatural. Would she not mind bearing a halfling child? Toga's head was swimming with thoughts he had never entertained before. As confused as he may have been, he was sure that that human woman was really extraordinary.

They stared at each other. Each taking an shaky step in their minds towards each other's world.

"Well, may as it be..." Toga coughed. "Your heat will pass tomorrow and you don't have to worry about those kinds of things for another year."

Kagome suddenly remembered that she was lathered in... Toga's intimate product. Thought which called a deep rouge on her cheeks regarding the future. Dogs did have a period of estrus once a year, but...

"Uh... You did know that human females have heat once a month, right?"

In that instant, Toga had turned into a salt statue. "What?" he wheezed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: No rest for the wicked, Toga!**_


End file.
